Cast wheel



Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE cAs'r WHEEL Application May 26, 1933, Serial No'. 673,015

1 locomotive drive wheel of cast steel, which is free of the difiiculties encountered in the making of the ordinary drive wheels and during the use of the latter. i

My improved drive wheel in its preferred embodiment is practically in the form of a double disc wheel comprising'an integral casting and so formed 'that it is susceptible of a heavy counterbalance with provision of corrective weight receiving pockets for balancing.

The invention also contemplates a double disc drive wheel of such construction that its strength equals that of the ordinary'or heavy spoke wheel type, while being materially lighter in weight; and which is so formed that proper air circulation will be obtained and better ventilation to the adjacent driving box afforded and easy inspection and lubrication of the driving box permitted.

My improved drive wheel also provides ample support for the inner perimeter of the tire because of the. double disc nature. or construction of the wheel; the wheel in service being free of irregular internal strains.

The foregoing enumerated objects and advantages of my improved drive wheel, as well as other advantages inherent in the construction, will all be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved I drive wheel, with certain side wall portions broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

' My improved cast or locomotive drive wheel involves a steel casting consisting of annular side walls or discs III II of predetermined dimensions; the two side walls being preferably of equal thickness as shown. The side walls I0 and H are both centrally provided with the axle receiving bore at I2 and the two walls are united with each other by the integral hub portion l3 and by the integral telly or rim portion l4.

By reason of the spacing between the side walls III, II, the rim portion H, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is of considerable width and the double disc nature of the wheel afiords ample support for the inner perimeter of the tire (not shown and which is subsequently shrunk thereon); the wheel in service being freer of the irregular internal strains heretofore encountered. r

The two side walls or disc portions I0 and II are also united by the radially disposed ribs or webs l5, formed integral with the'hub IS, the rim l4 and both side walls or disc portions l0 and H, and preferably equally spaced apart as shown in Figure 1.

As is apparent, a number of somewhat triangular spaces or pockets between adjacent webs I5 and the hub l3 and rim H are provided; and the side walls or disc portions are provided with suitable sized openings I6, I1 and |8, shown -in proximity to the rim; these openings being disposed through both side walls thus providing ample air circulation within and about the wheel, while at the same time permitting accessibility to the driving box for ready inspection and 16 easy lubrication.

The side walls or disc portions II), II are also united by the integral annular web or hubportion l9 which isalso integrally united at one side with the hub portion I3; the annular 20 web l9 providing the crankpin bore 20.

The wheel, diametrically opposite to the crankpin bore 20, is provided with a circumferentially disposed segmental web 2| formed integral with both side walls or disc portions in 2 and II and with a number of the webs IS; the web 2| being arranged intermediate ofthe rim l4 and the hub portion l3. With the web 2| arranged as described and shown the spaces between the radial webs l5 are divided into 20 a plurality of pockets. The pockets intermedi-' ate of the web 2| and the hub l3 are provided with the ventilating openings 22; and the radial webs are also preferably provided with ventilatingopenings 23; while the radial webs l5 are 35 preferably provided with the additional air circulating openings 24. With the openings |6, l1,

l8 and 22 in the side walls and the openings 23 and 24 in the radial webs it is apparent that ample air circulation within and about the sides 5 of the wheel is permitted.

- The spacing intermediate of webs I5 and between the web 2| and the rim M of the wheel constitutes the counterbalance receiving pockets 25; the counterbalance usually consisting of lead, of suitable quantity, tamped in the pockets 25 as shown at 26 .in Figure 2.

One of the side walls or disc portions, where these counterbalance receiving pockets are arranged, for example the inner side wall H is 50.

imperforate while the opposite side wall l0 is provided with suitable sized openings which are closed by cover plates 21 after the counterbal-v ancethas been inserted in the pockets.

The cover plates 21 arepreferably immovably -secured or welded in place; and in order to per-' mit the plates to be easily welded or secured in place, the wall about the opening is off-set shouldered as at 28 in Figure 2.

or It is apparent that my improved wheel per- W mits counterbalance pockets of larger size and therefore is susceptible of a heavy counterbalance with possibilities of additional or corrective lead or counterbalance receiving pockets as for example shown at 29, 29 in Figure 1, namely in the sectoral spaces provided with the ventilating openings l8, which therefore are smaller than air circulating openings l6, so as to provide ample space for the auxiliary lead receiving pockets 29.

At the same time, my improved construction not only provides ample air circulation by reason of the openings through both discs, but permits accessibility to the driving box for purposes of inspection and lubrication.

Furthermore, the construction provides ample support for the inner perimeter of the tire because of the double disc nature of the wheel capable of having strength equal to that of the heavy spoke wheel type, while, on the other hand, being more readily made than the ordinary drive wheel with its heavy rim, spokes and hub, and at the same time lighter in weight.

The walls about the openings in the side walls or discs are preferably formed with the inwardly disposed reenforcing ribs or beads as at 30; and it will be understood that the auxiliary counterbalance pockets at 29 are each provided with a cover plate which is preferably welded in place. I

The exemplification of the invention as disclosed in the drawing is believed to be a desirable embodiment of my invention which I have described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation.

What I claim is:

1. A cast wheel comprising two side walls or disc portions spaced apart and integrally united with each other by a rim portion, a hub portion and spaced apart radial webs; both disc portions and the radial webs being provided with openings therethrough with the radial web openings located between the ends of said radial webs whereby air circulation between the walls and through the wheel is permitted, the perimeters of the openings in the side walls being provided with reenforcing ribs.

2. A cast wheel comprising two side walls or disc portions spaced apart and integrally united with each other by a rim portion, a hub portion and spaced apart radial webs; both disc portions and the radial webs being provided with openings therethrough with the openings in the radial webs located between the ends of said radial webs, whereby air circulation circumferentially between the walls and transversely through the wheel is permitted.

3. A locomotive drive wheel comprising two side walls spaced apart and integrally united with each other by a rim portion, a hub portion and spaced apart webs extending radially from the hub to the rim; certain of said radially disposed webs, at a point intermediate of the rim portion and the hub portion, being integrallyunited by a circumferentially disposed web whereby a plurality of counterbalance receiving pockets are provided; one side wall having closable openings for said pockets; bothside walls and said radial webs having openings therethrough whereby air circulation circumferentially through said webs and between the walls and transversely through the wheel is permitted.

4. A locomotive cast steel drive wheel comprising two side walls spaced apart and integrally united with each other 'by a wide rim portion, journal and crank-pin receiving hub portions and spaced apart radial webs integral with the journal receiving hub and the rim portion, the spaces intermediate 01' certain of the radially disposed webs being formed to constitute counterbalance receiving pockets; both side walls and the radial webs having openings therethrough whereby air circulation circumferentially between the walls and transversely through the wheel is permitted.

5. A cast wheel comprising two side walls, a rim portion, a hub portion, a crank-pin receiving portion, and spaced apart radial webs, the side walls being spaced apart and integrally united with the rim portion, the hub portion, the crank-pin receiving portion and the radial webs and both provided at points intermediate of the radial webs with air circulating openings, while the annular wall of the crankpin receiving portion is integral with said hub portion.

6. A cast wheel comprising two spaced apart side walls, a rim portion, a hub, a crank-pin bore, and radial webs extending from hub to rim portion and integral therewith and with the side walls whereby the latter are secured together in spaced relation, the side walls and the radial ribs being provided with air circulating openings, the side wall openings at the inner sides being perimetrically beaded.

7. A cast wheel comprising two side walls; a

rim portion; a hub portion; a crank-pin receiving portion whose annular wall is integral with one side of the hub portion; radial webs between the rim portion and the hub portion and between the rim portion and the crank-pin receiving portion; and a segmental web intermediate of the rim portion and the hub portion whereby a plurality of counterbalance receiving pockets be- 1 tween the rim portion, certain of the radial webs and the segmental web are provided; the rim portion, radial and segmental webs, the hub and A the crank-pin receiving portion being integral with the side walls; the side walls beingprovided with air circulating openings.

8. A cast wheel comprising two spaced apart side walls, a rim portion, a hub, radially disposed webs integral with the side walls, the rim portion and the hub; the space between certain of the webs constituting counterbalance receiving pockets with openings through one of the side walls, the side walls'having air circulating openings, and an auxiliary counterweight receiving pocket.

9. A cast locomotive driving wheel comprising an axle hub and a crankpin hub having a reduced throat connecting the same together, a wheel rim and plate sides, and ribs connecting said sides and extending from adjacent the reduced throat portion of said hubs outwardly toward said rim.

10. A cast locomotive driving wheel comprising an axle hub and a crankpin hub having a reduced throat connecting the same together, a wheel rim and plate sides, and ribs connecting said side plates and extending outwardly from said crank-pin hub toward said rim.

HENRY E. MUCHNIC. 

